MAHABALIPURAM- A UNESCO World heritage site

Hello everybody and welcome again to my youtube channel. In today's video I will be talking about a UNESCO world heritage site Mahabalipuram or Mamlapuram. So let's begin the video. It is a group of monuments that occupies a distinct position in classical Indian architecture. It marks up the high quality craftsmanship of this region. It is also known as Mamlapuram named after the Pallava king Narasimha Varman I who was referred as Mahamalla or the great hero. It is located along southeastern India's Coromandel coast. Mahabalipuram dates back to 2000 years. It was a flourishing seaport even at the beginning of the Christian era. There were references of it in Greek work Peripolis of the Erythraean sea of the 1st century AD and by Ptolemy the Greek geographer of 2nd century AD. In ancient times even before the Pallava came on the scene this place was known as Malai or Kadamalai. Mahabalipuram was also served as a pilgrimage center. Juan Sang the Chinese traveler of the 7th century AD mentions that this place was the seaport of the Pallavas. There are references of it in the European literature of the 14th century as a place of seven pagodas or place of seven temples. Many Indian colonists had traveled to Southeast Asia from this port town and this place established trade relations with Roman even before it became part of Pallavas. From all the written references and mentions we can assume how big Mahabalipuram was and how proficient it was in earlier time. So this was just a little preface about Mahabalipuram. So the majestic architecture we see at Mahabalipuram was developed by the Pallava dynasty but who were the Pallavas? The Pallava was one of the four major kingdoms thrived in South India. They ruled the region between Northern Tamil Nadu and Southern Andhra Pradesh known as Tondai Mandalam between 2nd to 9th century but they gained full power during the last quarter of the 6th century. Pallava were the followers of Jainism but conversion of Mahendra Varman I to Shaivism had a drastic consequence on the future of Jainism and it also explains Shiva and Vishnu temple at Mahabalipuram. The kings especially Mahendra Varman I, Narsimha Varman I and Narsimha Varman II Rajasimha were the great patrons of art. The remains of the architecture of the Pallava period are mostly found in Mahabalipuram which was the port city of the Pallavas and at Kanchipuram which was the capital city of Pallavas. Now we will try to understand the Pallava style of architecture. The Pallavas were the one who developed the Dravidian style architecture utilizing natural landscape and carving them into structures thereby making the ability of the Pallava craftsmanship universally known and if we look at the Pallava style of architecture it has a very distinctive style that is different from The faces of the human figures are oval in shape with high cheekbones and slender bodies with tapering limbs. The Pallavas were instrumental in transition from rock cut architecture to stone temples and the construction of temples at Mahabalipuram under Pallavas are divided into three categories. First is Mahindra Varman style under which rock cut architecture were built. You must be thinking what is rock cut architecture? So basically rock cut architecture is a type of form in which a structure is formed by carving out of solid natural rock. It was started by Mahindra Varman I but during the time of Narsimha Varman I Mamala new innovations were introduced in the rock medium in the form of cave temples. Examples are Vara cave, Trimurti cave and Mahishmardini cave. In Vara cave we see depiction of seated Gajalakshmi in a panel. In another panel we see Vara raising goddess earth from the ocean known as Bhuvar panel. In Trivikram panel overcoming the demon king Bali, goddess Durga with four arms in another panel. In Mahishmardini cave there are two panels one representing Sheshai Vishnu and other Mahishmardini. The Trimurti cave it is dedicated to lord Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva and the entrance is flanked by Dwarpals in narrow panels. Pallava cave shrines are smaller and less complex in plan as compared to Ajanta and Alora. The columns in these caves are comparatively slender. Their shaft is multifaceted sometimes fluted or round with cushion shaped capitals and seated lions at the base. The rock cut caves at Mamala Puram contain many striking mythological scenes carved in relief. Second is Mamala style under which monolithic temples in isolated form were raised. These are known as seven pagodas. So monolithic temples are chiseled out of a single rock in shape of masonry and wooden temples including embellishments on walls and other areas showcasing fine work of art and engineering. So it was the Pallava dynasty whose architect started the tradition of monolithic rock cut carving. Example Pancharat as it is locally known as rat as it resembles the processional chariot of temple. These five monolithic temples are hewn out of a huge boulder. Now let's try to navigate through Pancharat and understand how each rath is distinct and different from each other. First is Dharmaraj rath. It has a square plan. It has open porches and a terraced pyramidal tower. Its pillar shafts are supported by seated lions. Second is Bheem rath. It is longitudinal in shape with a barrel vaulted roof and having ek tal viman. Now comes the Arjun rath. The rath has simple structure resembling a small palace or a pavilion. It is carved over an elongated stone rock formation with a square plan similar to the Dharmaraj rath. It is a dwi tal viman structure with pillared mukh mandap. It is on the same uppeet or secondary platform as the Draupadi rath next to it and lion carved in the front yard. Fourth is Draupadi rath. It is very small square structure with a curvilinear roof shape like thatched roof of a hut. Last is Sahadev rath. This monolithic rath has an apsidal plan from base to shikhar. It has a dwi tal viman or two storey. The adhistan of this viman is not defined. The pad is simple punctuated by pilasters. There is a mukh mandap in the front. They display the full form and features of the contemporary temple form in both ground plan and elevation. They are richly carved artistic motifs and panels depicting Hindu divinities and royal portraits. Next time when you are visiting Mahabalipuram, you can identify these elements in the architecture. Another example of monolithic style of architecture is a sculptural base relief. It is a type of art in which shapes are cut from the surrounding stone so that it stand out slightly against the flat surface. It is an important class of masterly creation created during the Mamla's reign. There are four such reliefs at Mamlapuram but the most noteworthy among them is the Arjuna's penance. The penance is a part of a story in the Mahabharata and forms the theme of the Kirat Arjuna. In this story, Arjuna performs a penance to obtain Shiva's weapons. A boar is sent by some asuras to kill him. Shiva intervenes to protect Arjuna disguised as a Kirat or hunter. Both claims to have shot the boar and a conflict erupts. Shiva wins and reveals his true self to Arjuna. We see profusion of figures in the base relief, people, animals including elephants all in near life-size dimensions. Another one is Govardhan dhari, a huge base relief in a hall where Krishna is lifting Govardhan hill to protect the cow herds and the cattle from the storm raised by Indra. The relief carving of the cave of Pallavas are generally shallower than that of Deccan. The main figures are slender, delicate and elegant and they wear little or no jewellery. And now comes the Rajasima style under which structural temples were constructed. So, structural temples are built using multiple stones. Example is Shore temple. King Rajasima introduced structural architecture on a grand scale, laying out the Dravidian style Viman. But later addition, we can see in the Shore temple for instance, the Nandi's figure on the outer enclosure. Shore temple has three shrine areas containing a stone Shiva laying, Somskand, Shiva with Uma and Skand, a popular theme in the Pallava period and Vishnu resting on the serpent Anant. So, the two shikhas at Shore temple are terraced and slender and the relief sculptures are there but corroded due to effect of sea aerosols. I believe today's video helped you guys understanding the historical and architectural aspect of Mahabalipuram. I hope guys I have sown the seed of knowing historical places conjoining both historical and architectural perspective. In the end, I would like to say thank you so much and please like, share and subscribe with your friends and family.